CHAPTER 251: CHAPTER 240: HEIXINGGEN’S ENTRANCE

The loan won’t be given out so easily. To maximize benefits during the Franco-Prussian War, political demands must also be made.

As a member of the Southern German principality, Heixinggen is obliged to participate, even though it is territory of Prussia. The royal title of Heixinggen can still be used.

"Uncle William, as a member of the German Confederation, Heixinggen is also obliged to participate in Prussia’s war of resistance against France."

Hm! William I was a bit confused about what Ernst meant by this. The company’s money had already been loaned out; what more could the Heixinggen royal family do?

"Although Heixinggen is now an inseparable part of Prussia, as a member of the German Federation, our East African Kingdom also has an obligation to contribute."

"Uh, you also plan for the East African Kingdom to join the war!" William I seemed to hear a huge joke. Although the East African Kingdom was recognized as a German nation upon its founding, given its geographic location, everyone treated it as a bit of fun; no one seriously considered Africa as Europe!

"No, Heixinggen as a member of the German Federation will join the war."

"Ernst, if I may speak frankly, Heixinggen is now merely nominally a German principality, represented by us Prussia..."

Suddenly, William I paused, realizing that although Heixinggen had become part of Prussia, there was indeed a group of highly skilled personnel there that Prussia had no right to conscript.

Prussia had long implemented compulsory military service, but it could only conscript citizens within Prussian territory. However, the students of the Heixinggen military academy originally held the identity of "Far East exchange students" engineered by Ernst, making them non-Prussian citizens. When the East African Kingdom was founded, these Far East exchange students naturally became citizens of the East African Kingdom.

Actually, Prussia had been keeping an eye on the Heixinggen Military Academy for a long time. After all, conscription was one of the most valued tasks in Prussia, and the Heixinggen Military Academy was technically an unregistered military institution in Prussia, essentially a makeshift school.

Initially, the Prussian government didn’t pay much attention to Prince Constantine’s makeshift school, considering the smallness of Heixinggen, with its limited population, thinking it couldn’t play any significant tricks.

But they didn’t expect that this makeshift school wouldn’t enroll students from Prussia; rather, it brought in a large number of so-called "exchange students" from the Far East.

There was nothing particularly alarming about this. A makeshift university whose students were still from the "prestigious" Far Eastern nation that Prussia viewed much like their ambassador to the Far East, stationed in Zhili, saw, akin to the southern Ottoman Empire.

However, after the outbreak of the Prussia and Austria war, Prussia’s view shifted, as Heixinggen’s local conscription department mentioned in previous reports to the Central Government: their students were compliant, disciplined, and after observing their drills, their military skills could compare to ordinary Prussian troops.

In fact, it was about wanting to use these numerous students (compared to the Heixinggen region) as cannon fodder but was naturally rejected by the Heixinggen royal family at the time. They were "exchange students," not Prussian citizens, and East Africa was also short of manpower back then, with Heixinggen Military Academy cranking out quick courses meant to send them to East Africa, so the matter was dropped.

Later, William I began to focus on the Heixinggen Military Academy, all thanks to the Berlin Military Academy.

By leveraging connections, Prince Constantine managed to insert two of the most outstanding students from Heixinggen Military Academy into the Berlin Military Academy. At the time, Ernst valued only three talents, and one of them, Sivert, eventually became the Chief of General Staff of the East African Kingdom, because Ernst needed someone exceptionally capable to go to East Africa to counterbalance the mercenary and consortium factions.

The remaining two, who were exceptional indeed, were sent by Ernst to further their studies at the Berlin Military Academy.

Given their connections, how they fared initially at the Berlin Military Academy could be imagined, but soon the Berlin Military Academy was shocked by their learning abilities.

At the Berlin Military Academy, a premier military academy of the Prussian Kingdom, their grades consistently ranked at the top, earning them the nickname "Heixinggen’s twin heroes" among students and faculty, being from Heixinggen Military Academy.

The twin heroes performed splendidly, and since they hailed from the Far East and attended the Heixinggen Military Academy, a makeshift school, and came through connections, this naturally garnered attention, even from William I.

He even met the two at the Berlin Military Academy—indeed, they were exceptional. Their renown brought some prestige to the Heixinggen Military Academy in Prussia, altering some Prussian perspectives on the Far East. The Far Eastern people were quite capable—with such talent, it became evident only in Prussia. It showed that the fault lay not in the quality of their citizens, but in governance hindering talent, while affirming the strength of Prussian education.

With a favorable impression of the Heixinggen Military Academy, William I asked, "Why do you seek to join the war under the name of the Heixinggen Principality instead of the East African Kingdom?"

"Though East Africa is also a German nation, it’s overseas, while Heixinggen is a traditional Southern German principality. If war breaks out between Prussia and France, it will inevitably impact Southern Germany, naturally requiring intervention under Heixinggen’s name."

Ernst explained with this intent: to separate the East African Kingdom as the East African Kingdom couldn’t afford to alienate France due to frequent interactions. But the East African Kingdom also wanted a share of the spoils. How was it to achieve this? Naturally, by leveraging its smaller stature; Heixinggen would secure gains to transfer later to the East African Kingdom.

Having this process was crucial, as if East Africa declared war directly on France, it would surely bring amid African challenges with France in the future.

This differed for Heixinggen, being now genuinely part of Prussia—France would pin any gains Heixinggen got on Prussia.

"What demands do you have?" William I asked.

Well, it wasn’t for nothing that the Heixinggen royal family volunteered to join the war; surely they sought some compensation.

"Uncle William, it’s not a difficult matter, you’re aware of East Africa’s geographic location, and we’re merely seeking a small island held by the French in the East African Sea," Ernst replied.

"A small island?"

"Yes, this island is part of the Comoros and is a French colony called Mayotte. For East Africa, this island’s location is crucial, but it’s barely useful for France, as France has other islands in the Western Indian Ocean. If the kingdom triumphs over France, we hope to negotiate to acquire Mayotte."

This demand was indeed modest—a small island no one seemed to have heard of, William I thought, especially if swapping an island for Heixinggen Military Academy’s participation on the battlefield looked worthwhile. For Prussia, troop numbers were invaluable, given the adversary was "Europe’s leading land army," France.

"That’s feasible; if Heixinggen enters the war, we’ll transfer the island’s ownership to the Heixinggen royal family afterward."

"Oh, Uncle William, although Heixinggen is entering the war, I hope the command of this force is assigned to Cousin Leopold," Ernst suggested.

"Of course, that’s absolutely fine!" From William I’s standpoint, it seemed hardly a request.

Yet for Ernst, it held immense importance as the Heixinggen Military Academy was his "Huangpu" and not truly meant to be mere fodder for Prussia.

This Franco-Prussian War served as an opportunity to assess the capabilities of the Heixinggen Military Academy while tempering this batch of students. The battlefield was the true ground for a soldier’s growth; a military academy alone couldn’t groom real military strategists.

Future East Africa’s enemies couldn’t perpetually be natives, so having Heixinggen Military Academy students hardened by warfare was vital. After all, East Africa planned to build its military framework around them in the future.

Leopold was one of the triggers for the Franco-Prussian War. His Spanish throne was snatched away by the French meddling, so he retained a key role in the Prussian army and would likely follow in his father’s footsteps in the future.

Prince Karl had been the commander of the Prussian Army with immense influence within the military, so Leopold was advancing steadily in the Prussian army, especially since his brother Carol I had gone to Romania. Thus, Leopold’s military standing was likely to rank among the top ten in the future.

With the Heixinggen Military Academy’s students entrusted to Leopold, Ernst could rest assured, as they were all "his own people."